Banning babies
 

No, I just couldn't bear to hang out with the people who took themselves that seriously. We all went to same top schools; we all got the same top grades and LSAT scores; get the fuck over yourself buddy!

These are the people who end up having heart attacks at their desks at 45 after a career spent married to the tax code. I would really rather not be one of them.

Banning babies
 

I would call that slacker me, five years ago.

I quit my first big-time law job by basically telling the partners that they could keep their fucking money because they couldn't possibly pay me enough to buy my life.

I wrote a book, went in-house for a few years, quit to run my own business, and now I am looking to get back on the gravy train.

Anon b/c this includes the direct quote from when I quit and is therefore quite infamous and outable.

Austin Adopts Smoking Ban
 

I realize that the ostensible purpose is to have a smoke-free workplace for the bartenders/waitstaff, but would it kill these municipalities to have a test run with a few smokeless bars first? Encourage someone through tax credits or something to declare their bar smoke free. See if the place doesn't fold in six months. I'm sure there'd be some people who'd jump at it.

That said, I have a sneaking suspicion that the lack of smoke impregnated clothing is the reason that so many Houstonians frequent ice houses. There can be no other reason that we choose to stand around in the swealtering heat and humidity and drink beer when we could just as easily do it inside with air conditioning. Drive by the West Alabama Ice House today at maybe 5:30 (temp likely to be 94, humidity in the 90s), and it will be packed. The Stag's Head, a half mile or so away will be empty.

Banning babies
 

I'd call you normal. But maybe I am just like you. ;)

To me, the OddMan is a quintessential slacker since he works only because he enjoys "living inside," not because he feels any pressure to be a high acheiver at anything. He was just as happy fighting fires or cooking in a restaurant as he is working in tech. Actually, he was happier then though certainly he is better paid (for) now.

He's willing at any moment to just chuck it all to ride his bike and raise our (non-existent) kids.

Banning babies
 

You should tell your payroll department to look up "supplemental wage withholding" and get with the program.

Of course, I guess they might have withheld that much even with supp w/h rate, if you live in one of those wacky places with state and/or local income taxes.

Banning babies
 

If "can't pay me enough to buy my life" was the quote I wish to hell I could have been a fly on the wall when their little dicks clenched up into their ass cheeks upon hearing it. Bravo my man (or woman). You are the Johnny Paycheck for lawyers.:thumbsup:

Banning babies
 

I went and bitched. They put it in with my regular payroll -- the CEO was convinced that it would save people money and it does for the people not in my tax bracket (he was a little upset when I told him but I said it was no sweat cuz I will get it back when I file next year and it is only like $1,000 difference). The payroll people tried to tell me that I was wrong but I had them look at last year's bonus and they saw the difference. Fucking maroons. No biggie though. Not enough to have an aneurism over.

Banning babies
 

Ah. Based on your pissy post, it wasn't clear to me that you were at peace with the situation.

Austin Adopts Smoking Ban
 

Despite the ban on smoking, Forbes has named Austin as the "Best City for Singles." DC came in fourth, kept down (I imagine) by the high interns-to-senators ratio.

Banning babies
 

I was at first, now I have calmed a bit. My initial post was when I got the check and felt the gov't fist in my ass. That must be the neurotic lawyer in me that I normally keep under control. What the hell, nothing I can do about so I might as well move on.

Not one of the cool kids.
 

Listen, I am one of the "tightass" lawyers that you are all complaining about, and guess what: You can all fuck youselves. (There, I said "fuck." Does that make me as cool as all of you?) Yes, I am serious about my job, and yes I am a serious person in general. So fucking what? No, I don't think it is appropriate to go out to happy hour and get hammered and talk about porn. We are in a profession, whether you like it or not, and there are certain accepted social mores that go along with the profession. That does not change the moment you step out of the office. Because of the very nature of our jobs, we are lawyers 24-7. Every person we meet is a potential client, or referral source, or someone else who could possibly help our career. If you are some jackass that transforms from diligent researcher to drunken lech at 6:00 on Friday, you are just shooting your career in the foot. If being concerned about my career, and wanting to do a good job for my cleints and my firm makes me a tightass, well then so be it. If you all wanted to work in an environment where everyone is as freewheeling and cool as you all apparently are, you should have become rock stars instead of lawyers.

Banning babies
 

People need to recognize that they cannot have it all. Want to spend the afternoon with your kids? Get a smaller house, older car, off-the-rack clothes, and eat only at Olive Garden. Then you can afford to quit your high-paying job that does not allow you to see your kids.

Plenty of people in non-attorney or non-high hour jobs have plenty of time to spend with their kids. They simply don't spend it in as fancy of surroundings and not all their kids' toys require batteries.

Me? I'll take the hours, thanks. Kids are gross.

Austin Adopts Smoking Ban
 

They say the methodology "ranks America's 40 largest metropolitan areas in six different areas: nightlife, culture, job growth, number of other singles, cost of living alone and coolness."

I imagine nightlife, culture, and coolness must weigh heavily, to counter the other three factors.

Of course, Austin's coolness was significantly enhanced by Tucker Max's decision to relocate there.

Not one of the cool kids.
 

Amen. Testify.


not7y(my choice for POTY)S

Not one of the cool kids.
 

Dude, I'd like to think I have a good sarcasm meter, but you're just spectacular. This is either so subtle its the Johnny Walker Blue of sarcasm or earnest, in which case you are the head partner at my last firm, In which case I say to you: "Bullshit - No one hires a stiff. If you can't loosen up and make people laugh, you won't make a goddamn thing of yourself."

Your cruel reminder that I can neither play guitar or sing is uncalled for.

S("If I leeeavvve here tommooooorrrow..."... ahem.... "If I LEEEAVE Heeeeere tomorrrrowwwww"... cough, cough, eh, fuck it)D